


Whatever You Do

by infernalstars



Series: Sleepy Bois Inc [3]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Nightmares, Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Other, Protective Wilbur Soot, Sam Nook - Freeform, Traumatized Tommyinnit (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29720358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infernalstars/pseuds/infernalstars
Summary: Tommy now has to learn to heal and live with his traumas.
Series: Sleepy Bois Inc [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2164218
Comments: 5
Kudos: 75





	1. The Sun Will Shine Again

**Author's Note:**

> once again, not about the ccs, loosely based on their dsmp characters but if it crosses boundaries it will be deleted 
> 
> trigger warning: mentions of abuse, nightmares, depression, self harm, suicidal ideation, drug abuse/relapse mentioned 
> 
> heyheyhey this is gonna be two chapters, the second half is gonna be wilbur centric, this one is tommy centric & i decided to use sam nook as tommys therapist bc phil already filled the role of father here
> 
> anyway enjoy & read at your own risk

Tommy sat straight up in bed, shoving the covers away and scrambling onto the floor. He let out a whimper as he pulled his knees to his chest. 

His side hurt where Dream had once kicked him. He held the spot where the bruise was still healing. 

He had half the mind to go to the park just to assume himself that Dream could not hurt him anymore. Just to show how big and strong he was despite how weak he felt now. 

“Toms?” Wilbur’s voice asked as he poked his head in the room. “I heard you scream…” 

Tommy looked up at his older brother. The half of him still caught up in the nightmare wanted to lock himself in the closet away from everyone. The other half wanted to be held by his brother and be told it was okay. He sat paralyzed by his options. 

“Nightmare?” Wilbur asked, staying in the doorway. 

Tommy nods. 

He hugs his knees close. 

“Do you mind?” Tommy asked. 

Wilbur shook his head no. “May I come in?”

Tommy nods and Wilbur sits himself down on the bed. He waits patiently. Wilbur was good at that. 

“It was about Dream,” Tommy says. “He hurt me. It still hurts.”

Tommy held his side. 

“Physically or mentally?” Wilbur asked. 

“Yes.”

Tommy climbed to his feet and sat next to Wilbur on the bed. He leaned back against the headboard.

“And yet, I miss him. He hurt me but he was there when I needed someone.”

“I'm sorry. It's all my fault.”

“What?” he asked quietly, looking up at him.

“If I hadn't OD’ed you wouldn't have turned to Dream.”

Tommy is silent for a long time. “I think some things in life are inevitable. I think Dream was one of them.”

“Tommy, that's kind of fucked up, isn't it?”

“No. It's no one's fault but Dreams that he hurt me that way,” Tommy said. 

It was an incredibly mature thing for him to say. He knew that. He also knew he wasn't entirely convinced by the concept. 

Wilbur contemplated this. “I'm still sorry about Dream. I wish he'd never even looked at you.”

Tommy smiled. “Thanks Wil.”

They sat in silence again. Tommy stares into the darkness across the room. His brain is fuzzy from panic and his hands are shaking. 

Next to him, Wilbur hums under his breath. He is more than happy to stay with Tommy. He'd do anything for him.

That's what brothers are for.

“Do you still miss our last home,” Tommy asks. “Even though they hurt us?”

Wilbur nods. 

Our brains love to confuse love and abuse, Tommy is slowly learning. Abuse can be masked, hidden so you can't even see it when you're being beaten half to death.

Tommy shivers, not from the cold. It's from the memory.

Jarringly he wonders if there truly is a difference between abuse and love. Could he spot the difference? Or would he spend eternity in doubt.

Tommy looks over at Wilbur. Was it love his brother gave him or another form of abuse? He closed his eyes. Who could he trust? His mind was screaming ‘no one’. A quieter voice in the back of mind told him a different answer: Tubbo. 

Tubbo. His best friend. 

“Can I be alone?” he asks quietly, looking up at Wilbur. 

Wilbur hesitates. “You’ll be okay?” 

He nods. He will be, he assures himself. 

Wilbur gets up, ruffling his hair as he goes. “Hey, Toms?” 

“Yeah?”

“I love you.” 

Tommy smiles. His mind screams. “I love you too.” 

Wilbur closes the door and he tries not to cry. He desperately wants to believe and accept his brother's love, but how can he do that when his mind is screaming--screaming that everyone he loves and trusts is out to get him. 

He swallows the anxiety rising in his chest and grabs for his phone. He texts Tubbo. It’s only one in the morning, he should still be up. 

Tommy used to share that sleep schedule with him and the two of them would stay up late playing video games with Ranboo. After the events with Dream, he got medicine meant to help him sleep at night because of how horrible the night mares were. 

A moment of spiraling thoughts later, Tubbo replied to his messages. 

Tubbo: didn’t think you stayed up this late anymore. 

Another one came a second later. 

Tubbo: ranboo and i are playing minecraft, wanna join? 

Tommy smiled. He gathered up his blankets and his laptop, quietly going down to the basement where Ranboo sat at his desk. 

“Mind if I play too?” he asked with a smile. 

Sometimes, it wasn't that he wanted to be alone, but that he was selective in his company. 

-

“I’m really proud of you for reaching out to some friends,” his therapist said to him the next day in session. 

“Well, Ranboo’s technically like a brother,” Tommy reminded him. 

Tommy watched him jot it down in his notes. 

“I tried reaching out to Wilbur,” Tommy said. “But I was scared that he was just manipulating me like Dream. Like I couldn’t trust him.” 

“You've had your trust broken by a lot of people in your life. It's normal to feel this way. However, we need to learn to think rationally about the people we can trust. Wilbur has been with you through everything. He helped you get away from Dream. He protected you.”

“He's good. I know he is. I'm just scared.”

Sam, his therapist, nods. “That's understandable. Do you want to talk about it?”

“I got my closure. I told him goodbye, but I still wake up in the middle of the night because he won't leave my head. I don't think he ever will.”

-

Tommy sat on a bench with Tubbo, slurping down overpriced coffee that Phil gave them money for. Tommy felt so safe with Tubbo that he had missed the bright green hoodie walking towards him. 

He leaned over, looking at Tubbo’s phone as his friend showed him a video. They were laughing. 

The sound died in his throat when he heard his voice. “Hi, Tommy,” Dream said, standing over them. “I've missed you!”

Tommy’s vision went white. For a split second he didn't know if he was in the park or the mall. He reached for the bench under him. 

He dropped his drink, the splash of it against his legs snapping him back to reality. He looked down at it. 

“Dude, are you okay?” Tubbo said with a laugh, picking up the now empty cup. “Who's your friend?”

Tommy was paralyzed with fear. He wanted to yell out for Phil, for Wilbur. They were in the mall somewhere, surely they'd hear him, right? 

“I'm Dream,” he said, holding out a hand to Tubbo. Tubbo shook it. “Would you mind getting something to clean this up? I'd like to talk to Tommy alone.”

“Yeah, no problem. Be back in a minute.”

Tubbo got up. Tommy tried to call out for him to stay but the words died in his throat. He let out a quiet whimper as he watched his friend leave and Dream sat down next to him. 

“Miss me?”

“God no,” Tommy managed. 

“Really? You didn't miss your best friend?” Dream clicked his tongue. “I missed you. Phil’s a real dick for keeping us apart, man. We had so much fun.”

“No we didn't. You tried to kill me.”

“No. I told you how to get rid of your pain,” Dream said smoothly. 

“It's murder in the courtroom. I looked it up,” Tommy whispered. 

“Looking out for your friend I see,” Dream said, patting him on the back. 

It wasn't gentle. It made Tommy cough. Dream didn't let go of his shoulder, grip tightening. 

“Listen up, you little brat,” Dream snarled. “I've got some loose ends to tie up before I leave. If you go blabbing your mouth to the cops I'm never getting out of this shit town.”

“Why won't you let me move on. I just want to forget all of this. Leave me alone,” Tommy whimpered. “I don't care about the cops. I just want to forget.”

Dream’s grin grew dark. “There's an easy way to do that. You and I both know what it is. Just think about it.”

Tommy was shaking when Tubbo got back with paper towels. Dream said his goodbyes and left. 

Tommy stuck extra close to Tubbo the rest of the day. He slept in the car on the way home. No one thought that was strange because of how poorly he'd been sleeping the last few nights. No one said anything when he went straight up stairs. 

-

Tubbo sat down at the island where Ranboo was doing homework. 

Phil came in a moment later. “Tubbo? Is Tommy alright? He seemed a bit off. He gets all defensive when I ask him, though.”

Tubbo shrugged, looking up from his friends homework. “Uh, he seemed tired after we ran into his one friend.”

“Who?” Ranboo asked. 

Tommy didn't really ever talk about friends outside the two of them or Wilbur’s friends. 

“I forget his name...blonde hair...blue eyes...God what was his name?”

“Dream?” Ranboo asked very quietly.

“Yeah! That's it!”

Tubbo flinched at how fast both Ranboo and Phil moved toward the stairs. They both yelled Tommy’s name.

-

Tommy looked toward the stairs. He stood in the hall with Wilbur and Techno the medicine bin in his hands. It normally sat under the sink. 

Phil and Ranboo both came up short at the sight before them. Techno slowly took the bin from Tommy. 

“What’s going on?” Phil asked quietly. 

“Tommy just said that it was best for me to hold onto these or put them somewhere safe,” Techno said, handing them over to Phil. 

“I followed him up...I thought something was wrong...and then I thought…” Wilbur shook his head, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 

Tommy frowned. “I ran into Dream at the mall.”

He says it like it's no big deal, but it's a huge deal. Techno’s head snaps over to him. Wilbur curses under his breath.

“Are you okay?” Phil asked.

Tommy shrugged.”I'm not sure. I just think someone else should hold onto the medicine. He's all in my head now,” he says with a laugh.

He meant it to be lighthearted, joking but it's a sad sound. It's painful.

“Who's Dream?” Tubbo asks behind Phil and Ranboo.

Everyone turns to Tommy.

“A bad guy. Nothing you need to worry about, Big Man,” Tommy assured his friend. “I'll tell you about it later.”

“Tommy I can call Sam—” Phil started but Tommy waved a dismissive hand.

“Don't.”

“What did he say?” Wilbur asked.

“Not to tell the cops. He wants to leave town, I guess. I said I just wanted to forget,” Tommy said. “He said I already knew how.”

His eyes flicked to the medicine bin Techno held. Wilbur was shaking with anger as he pushed past Phil and Ranboo.

Phil cursed under his breath and called out after him, rushing down the stairs. The front door closed twice. 

Tubbo was staring at Tommy. He looked sad. “He told you to kill yourself…” he asked. 

“Yeah, he told me a lot of things,” he said quietly. “He's not a very nice guy.”

“I'm sorry I left you with him,” Tubbo said, fidgeting with his sleeves. 

Tommy shrugged. “It's alright. I'm a big strong man.”

“Yeah,” Techno said. “Why don't you guys go play video games or something?” 

He set down the medicine bin in his room and went back down the stairs and out the front door.

“Is Wilbur okay?” Ranboo asked Tommy. 

“Dunno,” Tommy answered honestly. “Can we just play a video game? I need a distraction.”

“Yeah,” Tubbo said with a happy smile. 

The three of them sat around Tommy’s room, grabbing the game controllers. They started up Tommy’s game system when the front door slammed shut. 

“He’s going to get himself hurt,” Phil’s voice boomed. 

All three boys flinched. Tommy glanced at Tubbo next to him with mild confusion. He’s never seen Tubbo jump quite like that. 

“He’s almost an adult,” Techno said in a much calmer, but equally loud voice. 

“That doesn’t change the fact that he's being stupid! You know he's not thinking clearly—” 

“This has nothing to do with that,” Techno snapped. “He's always been this quick to anger when it came to Tommy.”

There was silence for a moment. Ranboo shuffled closer to Tommy, but not too close. 

“I don't want him getting hurt. Dream’s dangerous,” Phil said. 

Tubbo glanced at Tommy. Tommy kept his eyes straight ahead. 

He felt sick. The world felt like too much right now. He was shaking, his grip tightening on the controller. 

“Okay, but we don't know where Wilbur went and Tommy is clearly not okay and he's here. Wilbur can handle himself. Focus on your son that's upstairs in his room with his friends who's first thought after running into his abuser was to get the medicine he wanted to take his life with where he couldn't get it,” Techno said, voice raising. “You are the only thing that has ever kept this family together and right now you're doing a shit job, Phil.”

Tommy got up fast, running straight for the bathroom. He emptied his stomach, the back of his throat burning. 

He flushed the toilet, keeping his eyes closed. His hands shook as he gripped the toilet seat, willing himself not to throw up again. 

“Tommy?” Phil’s voice asked. 

“I hate Dream so much,” Tommy said, eyes still squeezed shut. 

“I know,” Phil said quietly. “Me too.”

Tommy turned to look up at him, finally opening his eyes. “He constantly told me how horrible of a dad you are. That's not true. I know it's not. What Techno said isn't true.”

“It is. And that's on me,” Phil said, sitting down across from him. 

“No. You're a good dad. You’re great,” Tommy said. “You just...you devote so much energy to one of us so we don't feel unloved and it leaves you feeling empty. That's what Sam said.” 

“Sam’s a smart man,” Phil said. 

“Maybe you should talk to him, sometime.”

Phil sat back. He considered it for a moment. “It wouldn't hurt.”

“Where did Wil go?” Tommy asked after a long moment of silence. 

“No idea. He grabbed his bike and left before I could catch up to him. That kids fast,” Phil said. “Has he been acting weird lately?” 

“You think he relapsed,” Tommy asked. 

Phil shrugged. 

“I have no idea.”

“Here,” Techno said from the door, handing Tommy a glass of water. “You good, kid?”

Tommy shrugged. “Relatively.”

“I can take Tubbo home, if you want,” he offered. “If you need space.”

“I want him to stay. I want to tell him about Dream.”

Techno nods. “I'm gonna go see if anyone's seen Wil.”

He held up his phone to them before turning and disappearing into his room.

“Is the medicine safe with Techno,” Tommy asked, aware of his eldest brother's self harming tendencies.

“He’ll be too worried about Wilbur.”

Tommy nods. 

-

Tommy falls asleep watching a movie with his friends. He was awoken to the sound of the phone ringing and Phil’s muffled voice. 

He heard his father curse, which wasn’t really uncommon, but it was his tone. He was angry. 

He made his way downstairs to the door. 

Tommy detangled himself from the blankets and followed after him. 

“Phil?” he asked quietly. “Where are you going?” 

Phil looked up at his surprise to see him awake. Tommy looked over his shoulder as Techno came to stand behind him. He hesitated. 

“Police station. Wilbur’s been arrested.”


	2. & We Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur is not happy about Tommy running into Dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for drug use/abuse, violence, past abuse, police/getting arrested (lmk if i need any more)
> 
> wilbur centric because i missed him :)

Wilbur grabbed his bike and took off. He didn't look back, going straight for the park he knew Dream would be at. 

He was furious. 

He was seeing red. Red hot, blinding red. 

He saw Dream there and all but threw his bike to the curb. Dream looked up at the crashing sound. Wilbur kept walking. He grabbed the front of Dream’s shirt. 

He slammed the shorter boy into the playground. He was glad no one else used this park. He was going to kill Dream right there. 

“Is that anyway to greet an old friend,” Dream scolded. 

“We are not friends,” Wilbur said in a low voice. 

Dream looked a bit surprised by how angry Wilbur was, but he remained calm. That only pissed Wilbur off more. 

“Even if I had a new supply for you?” 

“I'm sober,” he told Dream. 

Dream just scoffed. 

“Listen you sick fuck, I told you to leave Tommy alone.”

“Did he finally take my advice?” Dream asked with a twisted smile. 

“To kill himself? No!” Wilbur yelled, slamming Dream back into the play set. 

“Wil, man, lighten up. Your life would be so much easier without Tommy,” Dream said. “You could still be at your old place, high as a kite, no one to make you stay sober, no one to make you go stay with Phil.”

Wilbur’s head hurt. The part of him that was sick agreed. He'd do anything just to be high again. For people to just let him be. The half of him that was well, flared with anger. How dare he say that? His family was just looking out for him. For the first time in his life he had a family. He wouldn't give that up just for a hit. 

“If you're gonna beat me up or whatever, can you just get it over with. I’m meeting someone soon,” Dream said impatiently. 

“You aren't even worth it,” Wilbur said, stepping back and letting him go. 

Dream brushed off his jeans and calmly started to walk away. “If you change your mind about the drugs, you have my number,” he said over his shoulder. 

He watched him leave, his whole body still shaking with anger. He didn't know what to do. His mind was racing. 

“Dream?” he calls after him. 

Dream stops. Wilbur can see the cocky arrogance from here. 

“Can I come with?”

Wilbur has every intention of buying off him tonight. Of throwing the last few months of hard work to the wind and getting high to forget all his anger and fear. 

The next few hours are a blur and nowhere near his original plan. 

Dream allows Wilbur to join him. It's a small party, not a lot of people. 

Dream deals to everyone here. Wilbur recognizes some of them from school but not all. He sticks to the corner, his red solo cup untouched. 

He's still furious. He doesn’t know why he’s here, really? It doesn’t make any sense in hindsight, but a lot of the night is a nonsensical blur. 

It's about half past twelve when one of Dream’s friends collapses. No one moves to help. They're all on their own trips. 

Wilbur scrambles to go and help, trying to get his phone out and call for help. 

Dream takes his phone from him. He's furious. 

“Who do you think you’re calling,” Dream snaps. 

“An ambulance. He could be overdosing,” Wilbur said, rolling the kid onto his side in case he throws up. 

Dream glared. “You'll get us all in trouble, dumbass.”

Wilbur sighed but continued to check for other symptoms of overdose. 

Thirty minutes later after the boy appeared to be fine, there was a knock at the door. 

Dream opens it up, most likely expecting a friend of theirs. Instead he's face to face with a cop. 

He steps back, face paling instantly. Dream’s an excellent liar, a charmer, but there are so many illegal substances in this house that there's no way he’ll get away with it. Wilbur can’t help the satisfaction he feels. 

“Neighbor’s filed a noise complaint. And we got a weird 911 call we traced here,” the officer said. 

“I think you have the wrong house,” Dream tried. 

The office glanced at the others, frozen in place with a bong in one hand, a red solo cup in the other. Music continued to blare through the speakers. 

“I don't think so.”

Wilbur doesn't remember the next hour or so because it happens so fast but he was detained because everyone else in the house appeared to be on something. He truly was sober, which just pissed him off. 

Dream kept trying to charm his way out of it, but the officers weren't buying it. Not only did he have alcohol in his system, but he had drugs and cash on him. They could charge him for underage drinking, and drug possession with intent to distribute. 

Wilbur thought, perhaps karma was real. And it felt good. He didn't even mind riding in the back of the cop car to the station. 

The officers checked him for any other types of drugs but the results were negative. They called Phil to come pick him up and let him go without any issue. 

Dream was going to get in serious trouble. Wilbur decided that, even if karma would come back to bite his ass, he deserved worse. As he waited for Phil he told the officers about what happened to Tommy, asked about pressing charges, restraining orders and more. 

Before Phil arrived the officer asked if Tommy would be willing to testify. 

He considered it. Would Tommy be able to face Dream in court?

It would be the closure he deserved. 

“Maybe,” he answered. “I'll talk to him.”

The officer nodded. The pair looked up as the bells on the front door jingled. 

“Wilbur, what the hell have you gotten yourself into,” Phil demanded, all anger.

“Sir, your son is not in any trouble. He was at a party that got busted. He's all good, no charges,” the officer jumped in. 

Phil looked at Wilbur and raised an eyebrow. “You damn near gave me a heart attack, kid.”

Wilbur frowned. “I didn't mean to.”

“I know. Let's just get home. Tommy’s worried,” Phil said, holding out his hand to help Wilbur to his feet. 

-

Wilbur opened up the front door and was nearly tackled by his younger brother in a hug. Tommy wrapped his arms right around him. 

He looked up at Techno who sat on the stairs watching them. He could see Tubbo and Ranboo leaning against each other, fast asleep on the couch. 

Had they all been waiting up for him.

“I swear to god if you have to go to jail I'll hate you forever,” Tommy said quietly. 

“I'm not in trouble, Toms. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, okay?” 

Tommy nodded, still holding on. Wilbur kept holding on as Phil and Techno guided the two sleepy teens down to Ranboos room in the basement. 

“You can stay in my room tonight, okay?” Wilbur said. 

Tommy nods in response. He steps back and the pair make their way upstairs to Wilbur's room. 

Phil had initially gotten the boys twin beds, but during their first few months Wilbur stayed with Tommy a lot. The pair curled up in the small bed with no issue, but Phil made an effort to save up money to get them larger beds. 

Even now on a queen sized bed, Tommy presses his back to Wilbur's before settling down to sleep. Wilbur smiled ever so slightly. He'd be an anchor for Tommy as long as he needed it. 

-

The next morning Wilbur woke up to the sound of Tommy and Techno arguing and the smell of burnt bacon. He stretched, reaching to grab his phone and check the time. 

He had a few messages from his friends asking about last night. Word travels fast, apparently. 

He answered a few messages before tucking his phone into pocket and making his way down stairs. His brothers were still bickering when he arrived. 

Phil sat at the island looking too tired to stop them as Techno hit Tommy with the spatula and flipped a burnt pancake in one swift move. 

“You little bitch!” Tommy shouted. 

Wilbur sat down next to Phil. Tommy grabbed a second spatula and hit Techno over the head. Techno moved fast, grabbing the spatula from Tommy. 

“Fucking brat,” Techno growled, tossing the pancake onto a plate next to the stove. 

“The bacon, Techno,” Phil said, watching it start to burn. 

“Sorry.”

Techno moved fast to pull the burning bacon off the stove. 

“He's just burning it because he doesn't have to eat it. Just because he's vegetarian,” Tommy grumbled, “doesn't mean the rest of us need to suffer!” 

He turned to complain to Phil and spotted Wilbur. His face lit up. “Morning!”

“Let Techno cook in peace,” Wilbur said. 

Tommy pouted but sat down at the kitchen table. Phil sipped on his coffee, enjoying the silence that followed, knowing damn well it wouldn't last long. 

A few minutes later they were all seated at the kitchen table eating their breakfast. 

“So, what happened last night,” Techno asked Wilbur, breaking the silence. 

Wilbur set down his glass of orange juice and sat back in his seat. “Well, after I heard about what happened, I went to find him. He was at the park and I...I honestly wanted to kill him. I know I'm dramatic a lot, but I've never been so angry. He offered me some of the usual. Told me my life was better without Tommy. That without Tommy I wouldn't be sober.”

A silence falls over the room. Wilbur looked across the table at Tommy. 

“That last bit is right. If it weren't for Tommy, I'd probably be dead,” Wilbur said seriously.

If Tommy hadn't been there, Wilbur and him never would have left their last foster home for Phil. He wouldn't have been forced to get clean. He would have overdosed alone in his room and died.

That had been his plan for a long time. Plans change and so do people. 

“I didn't take anything, but I went with him to this party. I thought someone overdosed so I tried to call an ambulance. He told me not to but the dispatcher heard and filed a report and there was a noise complaint so the cops showed up. Dream got busted for underaged drinking and possession of illegal substances with intent to distribute,” Wilbur explained. “I told the officer about what happened to you, Toms.”

Tommy looked up with panic in his eyes. “What? Why? Dreams gonna be mad.”

Wilbur felt his heart ache. He was so scared. 

“Dream’s going away for a while on the drug charges already. If you testify he can go away for longer."

Tommy was frozen across the table from him, but Wilbur could see the fear fade into anger. 

“Why would you tell them!” Tommy shouted, jumping to his feat. He knocked his plate, spilling the syrupy mess onto the table. “I just want to move on! Why won't anyone let me just move on!” 

Tommy’s chest heaved and Wilbur knew he was close to tears. 

“No one wants me to move on! Everyone wants me to keep reliving the worst thing to ever happen to me!” Tommy yelled again.

“I just thought you'd like the closure--”

“Not like that! Not that way. I thought I got closure when I went to the park and told him we were done, but no! Nope! Of course not!” Tommy shouted. “You had to go and run your mouth. Do you know what'll happen if I go to court? Everyone's going to know. Every single person is going to know what happened to me and I don't want that!”

Wilbur looked to Phil for help, but was met with malice. He quickly ducked his head. 

“‘M sorry,” he mumbled. “I thought I was helping.”

Wilbur got up fast, shoving past Ranboo and Tubbo as they emerged from the basement. He ran up the stairs and locked himself in his bedroom. 

No matter what he did. He never failed to fuck everything up.

-

Wilbur was strumming a melody on his guitar when Phil came to check on him. He carefully piled the pages full of lyrics and set them aside so Phil could sit on the bed. 

“I know you were trying to help Tommy,” Phil said, “but he’s right. I know you want revenge, to make Dream pay, but it has to be on Tommy’s terms.”

“I’m sorry,” he says quietly, picking idly at the guitar strings. 

“You don’t owe me the apology. I would have done the same thing, but it’s still wrong. You think I didn’t want to go to the cops? I did, but if Tommy won’t testify there's no point. And he won’t. Not after Dream threatened him if he went to the cops,” Phil said, studying his son’s face. “You just want to look out for him, I understand.”

“You don’t understand. Last time someone hurt him, instead of helping I went and got high,” Wilbur said. “And I practically went and did it again. I’m never there when he needs it most.”

Phil, for a moment, looks surprised by Wilbur’s words. 

“You are the only one who can calm him down. You’re always there for him before you’re there for yourself. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes. Give yourself some credit,” Phil said, reaching up to brush his son’s hair out of his eyes.

“Well, you’re old so you can’t see well,” Wilbur teased. 

Phil laughed softly. It was a nice moment. 

“I’m proud of you. For not taking up Dream’s offer last night,” Phil said. “I’m really proud.” 

Wilbur bit back a smile. “Thank you.” 

He had to look away from Phil to keep from crying. 

“That means a lot.”

-

“Toms,” Wilbur asked, knocking on the slightly opened door. 

Tommy looked over his shoulder from where he sat presumably doing homework. He frowned at his brother, turning away from him.

“What do you want?” he grumbled. 

“Can I come in?”

“Whatever,” Tommy said in response. 

It hurt Wilbur, but he deserved it. At least a little bit. He sighed and stepped into the room and sat on the unmade bed. 

“What do you want,” Tommy repeated. 

“I wanted to apologize to you,” Wilbur said quietly. “Telling the cops...that was selfish. It's your life. You can get closure however you want.”

“Yeah, no shit.”

“I just...the last time someone hurt you...I had a chance to speak up and I didn't do it.”

“What? When,” Tommy asked confused. 

“That night your teacher called CPS. The first time,” Wilbur said. “I should have told her the truth.” 

“I lied to her too, Wil. Don't blame yourself for that,” Tommy said. 

“I was selfish. I wanted the drugs. I didn't want to give it up so I lied and you suffered for it,” Wilbur said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for that.”

Tommy turned to look at him. Finally. He studied him for a long moment. 

“You suffered just the same. I don’t wanna hear your guilt ridden bullshit--” 

“It’s not bullshit--”

“I don’t blame you for any of that shit that happened before. It doesn’t matter because we’re here with Phil. What you did was wrong, clearly you get that. You aren’t stupid. I’m not gonna throw a fit about it a second time. It’s done. Dream’s going away for a while anyway,” Tommy said dismissively. 

“You’re either being really mature or really self destructive,” Wilbur said.

“I take after Techno,” he said, turning back to his homework. 

Wilbur laughed. He got up, ruffling Tommy’s hair. The younger boy swatted his hand away, but it didn’t do anything to lessen Wilbur’s smile. He turned and left Tommy to his own devices for the rest of the night. 

He sat down on his bed and picked up his guitar. He strummed, for once, a happy melody.


End file.
